Spring leaf arching machine



1933- .I. c. BALDWIN ET AL 1,933,957

' SPRING LEAF ARCHING MACHINE Filed May 29; 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l ames 6 3a Mi a/w, [NI/EN TORS aw awry/mt .4 T TORNEY.

Ndv. 7, 1933. D N g A 1,933,957

SPRING LEAF ARCHING MACHINE Filed May 29, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A TT ORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES 7 1,933,957 SPRING LEAF ARCHING MACHINE James '0. Baldwin and Chad 0. McKnight, Enid,

Okla.

Application May 29, 1933. Serial No. 673,554

4 Claims. (01. 153-54) This invention relates to a machine for arching or curving the leaves of automobile springs or the like, and has more particular reference to a machine of .this kind in which rollers are employed between which the spring'leaves or the like are passedfor being caused to assume a curved or arched form.- a

The primary object of the present'invention is to provide a machine of the above kind which is simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, andby meansof which spring leaves or the like may be readily and efficiently bent in a curve or arch of any desired radius.' i 7 Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form,'combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and

claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, partly broken away.- 1

Figure 3 is an enlarged end elevation looking toward the left of Figure 1; and I Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical section through the upper portion of the machine and illustrating use of the latter in arching or bending a spring leaf.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, the present machine includes a supporting frame or bench composed of an elongated channel-shaped top member 5 having angle iron supporting legs 6 bolted at their upper ends to the'side flanges of the top member'S atthe corners of the latter, as at 7. The legs at each end of the top member 5 are extended in downwardly diverging relation and rigidly connected near their lower ends by.

transverse brace bars 8, while said legs are connected at each side of the machine by crossed braces 9 connected to the intermediate and upper portions of the legs and to each other where crossing. Suitabl cap members 10 are fitted over the upper ends of the legs 6 and the adjacent ends of the flanges of top member 5 and bolted to said legs so as to provide a finished appearance and to cover the sharp or raw edges of these parts. A strong and durable frame or bench construction is thus had which is of light weight and inexpensive in character.

Elongated supporting plates 11 are rigidly bolted as at 12 at their lower ends to the side flanges of top member 5 near the front of the frame or bench so as to extend upwardly and rearwardly at'a suitable inclination in spaced parallel relation, and connecting the intermediate portions of these supporting plates 11 is a shaft 69 V '13 upon which is journaled an idler roller 1 1.

Journaledin the upperends of the supporting plates ll is a vertical plane rearwardly of roller 13 is a shaft 15:11pm which is secured or keyed a driving and bending roller 16. The roller 16 is thus disposed above and rearwardly of roller 14, and its shaft 15 projects outwardly beyond 1 one of the supporting plates '11 where it has an elongated operating crank 1'? secured or keyed thereon. I

Hung from and extending 'rearwardly and downwardly from the ends of shaft 15 at the outer sides of supporting plates 11 are spaced parallel hanger plates 18, in the rear lower ends of which are journaled the ends of a shaft 19 7 having another-idler roller 20,3'ournalled on the intermediate portion thereof.; Fixed or keyed on shaft .19 between the-ends of roller 20 and v the hanger plates 18 are cam oreccentric disks 21 arranged to bear upon theupper edges of the side flanges of the channel-shaped top member 5. One end of shaft 19 projects outwardly beyondthe adjacent hanger plate 18 where it has I secured or keyed thereonone end of an operating lever 22. Pivotally engaged with and carried by the lever 22 for lateral movement relative to the latter is a U-shaped catch 23 whose intermediate portion is arranged to selectively engage a desired one of the series of ratchet shaped notches 24 provided in the outer side edge of a ratchet seg ment 25 formed of sheet metal and having its ends twisted at right angles for attachment by bolting or the like respectively to the adjacent supporting plate 11 and one of the braces 9. The notches 24 of segment 25 are preferably progressively numbered from top to bottom.

It will be noted that when lever 22 is raised to its uppermost position with the catch 23 engaged in the uppermost notch 24, the roller 20 will be lowered as far as possible relative to roller 16,

and toward the horizontal plane of idler roller 14 aswell as considerably below said roller 16. On the other hand, by swinging lever 22 downwardly, the cam disks 21 may be turned and, due to their engagement with the side flanges of top member v 5 5, the roller 20 and hanger plates 18 may be caused to swing upwardly so that roller 20 isadjusted in an upward direction toward the plane of roller 16. By varying the vertical adjustment of roller 20 in this way relative to roller m g 16, the degree of curvature given to the leaf spring or the like to be bent may be accurately varied as desired, the adjusted position of roller being retained by engagement of catch 23 in the proper notch 24 of segment 25.

In operation, the lever 22 is elevated so as to lower roller 20, and the spring leaf L or the like is introduced above rollers 14 and 20 and below roller 16 as and in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 4. The lever 22 is then low ered to the desired position for elevating roller 20 to the proper relation relative to roller 16' so as to cause the spring leaf to be given the desired predetermined curvature when caused to pass rearwardly between the rollers. Such rearward movement of the spring leaf or the like is effected by rotation of roller 16 effected by actuation or turning of crank 17. Obviously, the numbering of the notches 24 facilitates setting of roller 20 so that the spring leaf or the like will be given the are or curvature desired.

A machine constructed in accordance with the present invention may be effectively employed for initial arching or re-arching of automobile spring leaves or the like, and it will be readily seen that such machine provides a durable and efficient apparatus for the intended purpose which may be economically manufactured, as well as conveniently and cheaply transported and assembled for use.

What we claim as new is:

1. A machine for arching'or curving the leaves of automobile springs or the like, comprising a supporting frame, said supporting frame including an elongated channel-shaped top member and supporting legs rigid with and depending from the corners of said top member, rearwardly and upwardly inclined supporting plates rigidly attachedto the side flanges of said top member, an idler' roller journaled between said supporting plates intermediate their ends, a shaft journaled in the upper ends of said supporting plates and having a further roller secured thereon between said plates, a crank for operating said shaft at tached to one end of the latter, hanger plates suspended from. said shaft and extending rearwardly and downwardly from said supporting plates, a shaft journaled in the rear ends of said hanger plates, a roller journaled on the last-named shaft, cam disks secured on said last-named shaft between the last-named roller and said hanger plates, means for turning the last-named shaft and for securing the same in any desired position of adjustment to which it may be turned, said cam disks bearing'upon the upperedges of the side flanges of said top member so that turning of the last-named shaft will cause actuation of the cam disks for raising andlowering the lastnamed roller.

2. A machine for arching or curving the leaves of automobile springs or the like comprising a supporting frame having a channel-shaped top member, a pair of idler rollers journaled above said top member in spaced parallel relation, a further roller journaled above said top member in a plane above and between the first-named rollers, manually operable means for turning the lastnamed roller, one of said idler rollers being mounted for vertical movement, and manually operable means for adjustably vertically moving said last-named roller including cam disks bearing upon the upper edges of the side flanges of said top member and having manually operable means for turning the. same.

3. A machine for arching or curving the leaves of automobile springs or the like comprising a supporting frame having a channel-shaped top member, supporting members rigid with and rising from the side flanges ofsaid top member, a pair of rollers journaled in said supporting members in different vertical and horizontal planes, a further roller mounted for vertical movement above the top member of the frame rearwardly of and below the rearmost and uppermost one of the first-named rollers, means for manually turning said rearmost and uppermost roller of the firstnamed rollers, and manually operable means for Vertically adjusting the last-mentioned roller comprising cams bearing upon the upper edges of the side flanges of said top member and a manually operable lever for turning said cams.

4. A machine for arching or curving the leaves of automobile springs or the like comprising a supporting frame having a channel-shaped top member, supporting members rigid with and rising from the side flanges of said top member, a pair of rollers journaled in said supporting members in different vertical and horizontal planes, a further roller mounted for vertical movement above the top member of the frame rearwardly of and below the rearmost and uppermost one of the first-named rollers, means for manually turning said rearmost and uppermost roller of the firstnamed rollers, and manually operable means for vertically adjusting the last-mentioned roller comprising cams bearing upon the upper edges of the side flanges of said top member and a manually operable lever for turning said cams, a

notched segment carried by the supporting frame atone side thereof and having notches in the outer side edge thereof, anda catch pivotally carried by said lever for lateral movement into and out of engagement with the notches of said segment for releasably holding the adjustable roller in any desired one of itsvertically adjusted positions.

, JAMES C. BALDWIN.

CHAD C. MCKNIGHT; 

